I'm not a big fan of German Shepherds, but Erok is one handsome dog...& it looks like he knows it too ;)

Oh man, Erok is a handsome dog!

He is a beautiful specimen. Because of the circumstances, I think there is a slight reluctance on everyone's part to embrace the beauty of the dog after just having to abandon one that brought such total love. Son said he would go to Onco's kennel each night just to say hi. ;) He won't be doing that after this weekend away and the bonding gap is closing fast for both dog and handler.

Teddy- It is very much voice recognition........along with hand signals and that they try to separate the basic discipline commands (which is what Onco was lacking) and 'working' commands. He needs to respond to other people for daily life but has to have one ultimate master just as your family pet has one person they go to when two are calling. His tasks will often be under excited conditions, so anything that lessens confusion is done. German is only used because that is where he was born and any unique sounds help separate any counter commands that would have no meaning.

At least that is my understanding of it all from afar and as a non-professional handler. :shrug:

I've just started training one of my dogs for HRD, and was wondering how life with the new partner is going for #1son?

Its hard to keep an objective eye when it comes to working dogs. But if the dog can't do the job that it was purchased for then you need to be able to admt it's not working and make sure you achieve the goal.

Kyttn

Course if you end up placing the dog yourself, you should express that you're not doing so because there is something wrong with the animal. Be a shame for someone to want the animal and pass it up because you said it wasn't working out and didn't tell them how or why. Especially if it's a sweetheart of a animal.

I believe that Onco went back to the kennel where he was purchased.

He's a fine handsome fella! Made cry in remembrance of my twin brother when we were in the academy back in '73.

Any new developments with Erok?

PF...that is a gorgeous dog. He is a wonderful specimen. The pictures of you and your dog are very nice, too.

Our remaining 3 dogs are doing well. The chi is past 20, almost totally blind, a little hard of hearing, but will chase after the wolf mix when stomped on. Wolf mix is almost 9, now. Lab/Greyhound is almost 17, we think. He's a little bit slow getting up in the mornings and his arthritis kicks in a bit.

Mae, all we lack is the wolf in mix in our controlled chaos. Lucky the pom-X is (est.)16, blind, deaf, & too dumb to get out from under my feet, but he still lets Riley the Lab/Blue Heeler know when she's intruding on his space. Riley looks very like your lab/grey, with tiny little feet & legs supporting the big bulky lab body. Fortunately she's still young & strong, but very touchy about her feet.

scotzoid...sounds like the controlled insanity around here. :) Smaller dogs usually seem to be a bit more gutsy than the big ones.

It seems the insanity of reality can create a gap in a black hole.:sad: Sorry to have left this wither away when craziness camped out with me for a while and this thread merited more than quick quips as a posts. Too soon the purpose disappeared but a recent post from a Pixie in another thread sparked new life, so here goes.

To nut-shell, the next four weeks of residence training went in textbook fashion. Both the handler and partner seemed to sense the need to capitalize on the time in the training program together. They ended in the middle of the class with the two disciplines of "aport" [search] and "zoos" [track] and at the top in bite training 'pocken" [attack] (which includes speed, determination and most import, quickness to "plotz" [down]).

Erok received his formal commission on October 25th in a little ceremony the local politicians used to their advantage. :hair: You can see that his sense of smell includes recognizing bullshit.;)

He has now become a very much loved member of the family during off hours and you can see that the 'bonding' is complete between handler and partner.

It is amazing how he is reacts when it is 'work time' and the harness goes on as 'Dad' puts on his uniform each day. He truly goes from a playful family pet to a serious working dog.

In the picture "LapDog," was he laying there or finishing lunch. :D

:roflmao:

I was told that candid cell phone pic was taken while they were watching TV.

Dum-de-dump dump.

Erok's the name. I carry a badge.

Dum-de-dump-dump-dummmmmm...

It's good to hear (read?) that all is going well and that the training was successful. Definitely seems that they have the right dog with right person. Tell them I said good luck and I hope they do well for long years to come.

Great pics PF....love the lap dog pic and especially the pic with his badge!

Gorgeous pics, PF.

Wonderful pics, PF. He looks very happy and proud. And, enjoys using his "dad" as a lap quilt. :)

PF Thank you for the link to this thread and WOW what gorgeous dogs you had!
But i have to say you are a hottie matie.... phew i had to come back to this thread a few times after cooling myself off! You can put your shoes under my bed anytime... hehe!! so can Erok rofl... well ok he can keep my Abby company lol

Do you still have Erok? can i ask who is sire and Dam were? he is a very lovely build dog with a ourstanding top line, head and structure!

I love the really Black Black sables i think they are beautiful he really reminds me of my darling Abby who is my trained patrol girl and been dying for a bite... hehe!!

Have you got any more photos of Erok he's truly stunning!

Here are some of my Abby having a go... but no bite as noone was game at that stage lol

but here is me working my old girl Dusty who was amongst one of the hardest bitches i've ever worked... well apart from Abby, Dusty comes pretty close. She would send shivers down your spine when she would eye ball you.





Not the best quality as they are from a video but certainly shows you how she would throw herself into someone.. every agitator has to be careful with her and Abby as they go straight for the legs...

My new girl who is coming home Easter time is a fully trained patrol Police bitch also..
Some photos of Rouge... cant wait to give her and abby both a nice work out on the bite suit!




apart from sex nothing gets my heart more pumping but when i watch one of my doggies flying to bite someone on the suit.. the feeling is just amazing.. the adrenalin.. phew!

Great action shots, Bebi. Love the teeth.

Looked at Abby's picture and thought of Little Red Riding Hood saying, "Grandma, what big teeth you have." :D

Great pictures Bebi!!

Thanks PF sadly i was on the end of the leash for Dusty's shots.. it was dad doing the video.

I took Abby's ones hehe!! she barks on command too!

Rouge was done by her current owner soon to be old one




lol yep she reminds me of that too and she has pearly white teeth too lol!!

Working dogs
 

Well PF I've had a similar problem #1 did I had a Belgian Malinois bitch donated to me about a year ago. She was about nine months old but had been raised in a concrete kennel run within a privacy fence, from eight weeks until nine months she met all of 4 people. The woman who owned the (working dog importing) kennel the woman who worked in the kennel, the vet (at 8 weeks for ALL shots! OMG!), and me the day I came to get her. She had never been on leash, never bonded to humans, and never been out of the run.

The woman I got her from is a knowledgeable importer of dogs for officers and civilians alike but she always gets dogs over the age of 2 that are already trained all she does is brush up their commands before selling them to someone else. Usual turnaround is less than two months. She decided to breed one litter and this was the last pup. She had never had a litter and had no idea what to do with her.

I have held onto her for almost a year. She has learned to bond to humans, walk on leash, to fus, platz, here, and touch it among other things. Unfortunately her search leaves MUCH to be desired. She was so retarded in development by not being allowed to be a dog that unless she is on leash her commitment to searching for what we are looking for is pretty much zero.

Now I will have to not only go to square one and find and purchase a new dog but I must find a good pet home for my Abby. She will run fast and hard close to her handler with a single spoken "here" command to bring her skidding back to see what the handler needs, in the house she goes to her rug and parks it until its time to go out, and LOVES to ride in the car.... She will make someone a great pet but as for a search dog...... the bloodlines were there I credit them for my being able to bring her as far as I did but she will never have the determination, dedication, or drive for human remains detection. I have enough pets, I need a dog that will work. It still hurts.

ROAD TRIP! :car:




It's been a busy week.
At 05:00 Erok, his partner AND ME :D head to Wapakoneta Ohio, about 2-1/12 hours east, for his recertification at the training camp where he schooled. My camera and I are READY. :thumbs:

PS

I hope we do better this time with the out of town cruiser. :eek:

We'll keep our fingers crossed that you'll have a safe trip and successful recertification. :thumbs:

And the dog does also.

Yesterday was a diary day for sure. :D An experience I'll recall for a long time. Even with the insight of being close to my son and this 'working' dog, I was nothing short of amazed watching the eight handlers and their dogs go through the qualifications. :yikes: The training camp facilities and the Master Trainer accomplish unbelievable control with these exceptional animals.


My photo record is far short of what I was hoping to get. :( Having the privilege of being an interloper was great and I could most definitely had gotten better pics, knowing now what I would be photographing. These exercises were not being done for photos and while being welcome, I had to stay far back from the action. So my pics will take some editing and a lot of boring explanation for those that have interest. Unlike SOME OldFart world travelers OldFart in our groupOldFart that goes to the most interesting places OldFart and does the most interesting things OldFart:rolleyes2, I will share what I consider interesting and unique with my Pixie family.



4533- An early morning walk around the facility at 07:30 after a 3 hour drive.

4598- Introduction and thank you to the camp operator and Master Trainer that allowed me to observe.

4544- Selection of some equipment for the upcoming test.

More to come for our dog people:D

Is waiting for more! And being on dialup let me tell ya seeing the pics is time consuming *L* But i really wanna see!!!!!

Are you sure the stuff in the trunk is for dog training and not some OTHER kind of training? :brows:

Gorgeous！He looks beautiful! I wish you and your son's portion of the family good luck and congratulations.

Sorry about your dial-up Sharni, but I'm going to set the hook with one of the amazing and most difficult parts of the testing I was able to witness. ;)

Remember, the objective and demand for these working animals is not merely to produce a vicious dog but to have command and control of the formidable power that the best of the species has. There are other canines that each have a greater single characteristic than this breed, but none possess the combination of mass, speed, tenacity, intelligence and most important, the ability to perform exactly at the command of it's bonded human partner.

As mentioned above, these still pics require some explanation to understand the tenseness and yet self control of the moment. First keep in mind that when these animals are 'on task', every molecule of it’s being is focused on the moment. We've all seen a cat at that second in the stalk just before the spring pounces. This is how it is for whatever command will follow and so different from my family pet when I ask for a 'trick' that has been learned to be performed. These dogs are poised for the 'trigger' rather than a request or instruction that I hope will be recalled. The "recall" or "call-back" has to be the epitome of control and response.


The handler places the dog in the heel position and down at his side. This is when the dog knows he is "on task". At this point the suspect (with bite arm in place) approaches the handler and talks to him for a few seconds, casually walks around both of them while the dogs eyes follows like the little girl's head in The Exorcist. When he is back in front, he speaks to the handler again, then leans down to swipe at the dog WITHOUT touching him, ………….. and the dog STAYS DOWN. Suspect turn and walks about 30 ft. (10 m) away, then begins to run. When he is about 50 ft (16 m) away the command is given. The dog is in full stride before it is fully up and launched as if from the barrel of a cannon.

As the streak is about half way to the running suspect the "halt, down" command is shouted in German and the dog must IMMEDIATELY stop and go down. Do not miss-conceive that the dog was moving with the possibility for this recall command, yet he skids to a stop and is down with the same attention on the suspect as from the start.

At this point the handler goes to the dog, gives the stay command and walks to the suspect. He frisks the suspect and pulls him by the arm and pushes him a few feet. Then the suspect pushes the handler and begins to run and the cannon instantaneously again explodes and the dog attack the bite arm and holds on until given the command to release. This is the ONLY time the dog can EVER initiate an attack. …..Lesson~ Do NOT take a poke at a K-9 cop. :rofl:

To me it was absolutely amazing the see these controlled responses with the tenacity that can't be captured in my pictures.

GREAT PHOTOS!!!
WOW love working dogs!!!

Gorgeous dog!
Hey PF who is the hot handler.. he's a cutie... can i have his number lol

Need more pics PF *L*

Looks like an awesome thing to go to, thanx for sharing.